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UC-NRLF 


B   M    ma    SbS 


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T       \ 

FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


By  rose  FYLEMAN 


VERSE 

Fairies  and  Chimneys 
The  Fairy  Green 
The  Fairy  Flute 

TALES 

The  Rainbow  Cat 


.\i;.\r  Dook  HAS  a  \\ri;aiii  on   hi 


iiI':r  ai'ii'-knoox  i^uock  sticks  orr  i.iki-;  iha 
all  sorr   and    i-uillv; 


PSYCH. 
,  LIBRARY 


FAIRIES     AND 
CHIMNEYS 


BY 

ROSE    FYLEMAN 


NEW  xlJM  YORK 
GEORGE  H.  DORAN  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT.  1920. 
BY  GEORGE  H.  DORAN  COMPANY 


PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OP  AMERICA 


£DUC. 
UBHARY 


TO 
THE   REALEST   FAIRY 
OF     MY     CHILDHOOD 

MY  MOTHER 


577336 


CONTENTS 

I 
FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

PAGE 

Fairies 13 

Yesterday  in  Oxford  Street 15 

\/L  Fairy  Went  a-Marketing 18 

I  Stood  Against  the  Window 20 

The  Fountain 21 

The  Best  Game  the  Fairies  Play  ....  22 

Have  You  Watched  the  Fairies?  ....  23 

The  Child  Next  Door 24 

Differences 25 

Mother ^^ 

Grown-Ups 29 

Cat's  Cradle 30 

Visitors ^1 

[vii] 


COMEXTS 

PAGE 

Wishes 33 

The  Balloon  Man 34 

I  Don't  Like  Beetles 35 

Very  Lovely 36 

Summer  Morning 37 

Fairy  Song 39 

Invitation 40 

Fairies  and  Chimneys 42 

White  Magic 43 

There  Used  to  be —    . 45 

If 47 

The  Fairies  Have  Never  a  Penny  to  Spend.  49 

II 
BIRD  LORE 

Peacocks 53 

The  Cuckoo 54 

The  Rooks 55 

[viiil 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The  Robin     , .      .  56 

The  Cock 58 

The  Grouse 59 

The  Skylark 61 


[ix] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


FAIRIES 

There  are  fairies  at  the  bottom  of  our  garden! 

It's  not  so  very,  very  far  away; 
You  pass  the  gardener's  shed  and  you  just  keep 
straight  ahead — 
I  do  so  hope  they've  really  come  to  stay. 
There's  a  little  wood,  with  moss  in  it  and  beetles, 

And  a  little  stream  that  quietly  runs  through; 
You   wouldn't   think  they'd   dare  to   come   merry- 
making there — 

Well,  they  do. 

There  are  fairies  at  the  bottom  of  our  garden! 

They  often  have  a  dance  on  summer  nights; 
The  butterflies  and  bees  make  a  lovely  little  breeze, 

And  the  rabbits  stand  about  and  hold  the  lights. 
[13] 


I ;/;  v;  {    FAIBIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

FAIRIES  [Continued'] 

Did  you  know  that  they  could  sit  upon  the  moon- 
beams 
And  pick  a  little  star  to  make  a  fan, 
And  dance  away  up  there  in  the  middle  of  the  air? 
Well,  they  can. 

There  are  fairies  at  the  bottom  of  our  garden! 

You  cannot  think  how  beautiful  they  are; 
They  all  stand  up  and  sing  when  the  Fairy  Queen 
and  King 
Come  gently  floating  down  upon  their  car. 
The  King  is  very  proud  and  very  handsome; 

The  Queen — now  can  you  guess  who  that  could 
be 
(She's  a  little  girl  all  day,  but  at  night  she  steals 
away)  ? 

Well— it's  Me! 


[14] 


FAIPIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


YESTERDAY  IN  OXFORD  STREET 

Yesterday  in  Oxford  Street,  oh,  what  d'you  think, 

my  dears? 
I  had  the  most  exciting  time  I've  had  for  years  and 

years ; 
The  buildings  looked  so  straight  and  tall,  the  sky 

was  blue  between, 
And,    riding    on    a    motor-bus,    I    saw    the    fairy 

queen ! 

Sitting  there   upon   the   rail   and  bobbing  up   and 

down, 
The  sun  was  shining  on  her  wings  and  on  her  golden 

crown; 
And  looking  at  the  shops  she  was,  the  pretty  silks 

and  lace — 
She  seemed  to  think  that  Oxford  Street  was  quite 

a  lovely  place. 

[15] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

YESTERDAY  IN  OXFORD  STREET   [Continued] 
And  once  she  turned  and  looked  at  me,  and  waved 

her  little  hand; 
But  I  could  only  stare  and   stare — oh,  would  she 

understand  ? 
I  simply  couldn't  speak  at  all,  I   simply  couldn't 

stir, 
And  all  the  rest  of  Oxford  Street  was  just  a  shining 

blur. 


Then   suddenly   she   shook  her  wings — a  bird  had 

fluttered  by — 
And  down  into  the  street  she  looked  and  up  into  the 

sky; 
And  perching  on  the  railing  on  a  tiny  fairy  toe, 
She  flashed  away  so  quickly  that  I  hardly  saw  her 

go- 

I  never  saw  her  any  more,  altho'  I  looked  all  day; 
Perhaps  she  only  came  to  peep,  and  never  meant  to 

stay: 

[16] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

YESTERDAY  IN  OXFORD  STREET   [Continued'] 
But  oh,  my  dears,  just  think  of  it,  just  think  what 

luck  for  me, 
That  she  should  come  to  Oxford  Street,  and  I  be 

there  to  see ! 


[17] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


y 


A  FAIRY  WENT  A-MARKETING 

A   Fairy   went   a-marketing — 

She  bought  a  little  fish; 
She  put  it  in  a  crystal  bowl 

Upon  a  golden  dish. 
An  hour  she  sat  in  wonderment 

And  watched  its  silver  gleam. 
And  then  she  gently  took  it  tip 

And  slipped  it  in  a  stream. 


A  fairy  went  a-marketing — 

She  bought  a  coloured  bird; 
It  sang  the  sweetest,  shrillest  song 

That  ever  she  had  heard. 
She  sat  beside  its  painted  cage 

And  listened  half  the  day, 
And  then  she  opened  wide  the  door 

And  let  it  fly  away. 
[18] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

A  FAIRY  WENT  A-MARKETING   [Continued] 
A  fairy  went  a-marketing — 

She  bought  a  winter  gown 
AH  stitched  about  with  gossamer 

And  lined  with  thistledown. 
She  wore  it  all  the  afternoon 

With  prancing  and  delight, 
Then  gave  it  to  a  little  frog 

To  keep  him  warm  at  night. 

A  fairy  went  a-marketing — 

She  bought   a   gentle  mouse 
To  take  her  tiny  messages, 

To  keep  her  tiny  house. 
All  day  she  kept  its  busy  feet 

Pit-patting  to  and  fro, 
And  then  she  kissed  its  silken  ears. 

Thanked  it,  and  let  it  go. 


[19] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


I  STOOD  AGAINST  THE  WINDOW 

I  STOOD  against  the  window 

And  looked  between  the  bars, 
And  there  were  strings  of  fairies 

Hanging  from  the  stars; 
Everywhere  and  everywhere 

In  shining,  swinging  chains; 
The  air  was  full  of  shimmering, 

Like  sunlight  when  it  rains. 

They  kept  on  swinging,  swinging, 

They  flung  themselves  so  high 
They  caught  upon  the  pointed  moon 

And  hung  across  the  sky. 
And  when  I  woke  next  morning, 

There  still  were  crowds  and  crowds 
In  beautiful  bright  bunches 

All  sleeping  on  the  clouds. 

[20] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  FOUNTAIN 

Upon  the  terrace  where  I  play 
A  little  fountain  sings  all  day 

A  tiny  tune; 
It  leaps  and  prances  in  the  air — 
I  saw  a  little  fairy  there 

This  afternoon. 

The  jumping  fountain  never  stops — 
He  sat  upon  the  highest  drops 

And  bobbed  about; 
His  legs  were  waving  in  the  sun, 
He  seemed  to  think  it  splendid  fun — • 

1  heard  him  shout. 

The  sparrows  watched  him  from  a  tree, 

A  robin  bustled  up  to  see 

Along  the  path: 

I  thought  my  wishing-bone  would  break, 

I  wished  so  much  that  I  could  take 

A  fairy  bath. 

[21] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  BEST  GAME  THE  FAIRIES  PLAY 

The  best  game  th^i.  fairies  play, 

The  best  game  of  all, 
Is  sliding  down  steeples — 

(You  know  they're  very  tall). 
You  fly  to  the  weathercock, 

And  when  you  hear  it  crow 
You  fold  your  wings   and  clutch  your  things 

And  then  let  go ! 

They  have  a  million  other  games — 

Cloud-catching's   one, 
And  mud-mixing  after  rain 

Is  heaps  and  heaps  of  fun; 
But  when  you  go  and  stay  with  them 

Never  mind  the  rest. 
Take   my  advice — the^^'re  very  nice, 

But  steeple-sliding's  best! 

[22] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


HAVE  YOU  WATCHED   THE  FAIRIES? 

Have  jou  watched  the  fairies  when  the  rain  is  done 
Spreading  out  their  little  wings  to  dry  them  in  the 
sun? 

I  have,  I  have !    Isn't  it  fun  ? 

Have  you  heard  the  fairies  all  among  the  limes 
Singing  little  fairy  tunes  to  little  fairy  rhymes? 
I  have,  I  have,  lots  and  lots  of  times ! 

Have  you  seen  the  fairies  dancing  in  the  air. 
And  dashing  off  behind  the  stars  to  tidy  up  their 
hair? 

I  have,  I  have;  I've  been  there! 


£23] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  CHILD  NEXT  DOOR 

The  child  next  door  has  a  wreath  on  her  hat, 
Her  afternoon  frock  sticks  out  like  that, 

All  soft  and  frilly; 
She  doesn't  believe  in  fairies  at  all 
(She  told  me  over  the  garden  wall) — 

She  thinks  they're  silly. 

The  child  next  door  has  a  watch  of  her  own, 
She  has  shiny  hair  and  her  name  is  Joan 

(Mine's  only  Mary), 
But  doesn't  it  seem  very  sad  to  you 
To  think  that  she  never  her  whole  life  through 

Has  seen  a  fairy? 


[24] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


DIFFERENCES 

Daddy  goes  a-riding  in  a  motor  painted  grey, 

He  makes  a  lot  of  snorty  noise  before  he  gets  away ; 

The  fairies  go  a-riding  when  they  wish  to  take  their 
ease, 

The  fairies  go  a-riding  on  the  backs  of  bumble- 
bees. 

Daddy  goes  a-sailing  in  a  jolly  wooden  boat, 

He  takes  a  lot  of  tackle  and  his  very  oldest  coat; 

The   fairies   go    a-sailing,   and   I   wonder   they   get 

home, 
The  fairies  go  a-sailing  on  a  little  scrap  of  foam. 

Daddy   goes    a-climbing   with    a   knapsack    and    a 

stick, 
The  rocks  are  very  hard  and  steep,  his  boots  are 

very  thick; 

[25] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

DIFFERENCES    [Continued] 

But  the  fairies  go  a-climbing  (I've  seen  them  there 

in  crowds), 
The  fairies  go  a-climbing  on  the  mountains  in  the 

clouds. 


[26] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


MOTHER 

When   mother   comes   each   morning 

She  wears  her  oldest  things, 
She  doesn't  make  a  rustle, 

She  hasn't  any  rings; 
She  says,  "Good-morning,  chickies, 

It's  such  a  lovely  day. 
Let's  go  into  the  garden 

And  have  a  game  of  play!" 

When  mother  comes  at  tea-time 

Her  dress  goes  shoo-shoo-shoo, 
She  always  has  a  little  bag, 

Sometimes  a  sunshade  too; 
She  says,  "I  am  so  hoping 

There's  something  left  for  me ; 
Please  hurry  up,  dear  Nanna, 

Fm  dying  for  my  tea." 


[27] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

MOTHER   [Continued] 

When  mother  comes  at  bed-time 

Her  evening  dress  she  wears, 
She  tells  us  each  a  story 

When  we  have  said  our  prayers ; 
And  if  there  is  a  party 

She  looks  so  shiny  bright 
It's  like  a  lovely  fairy 

Dropped  in  to  say  good-night. 


[28] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


GROWN-UPS 

Aunties  know  all  about  fairies, 

Uncles  know  all  about  guns, 
Mothers  and  fathers  think  all  the  day  long 
Of  making  their  children  happy  and  strongs 

Even  the  littlest  ones. 


r29] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


CAT'S  CRADLE 

ALTHOUGH  it  has  a  jolly  name 
Cat's  cradle  is  a  funny  game — 
I  like  to  play  it  all  the  same, 

It*s  easy  when  you  first  begin, 
But  when  it  goes  all  long  and  thin 
I  daren't  put  my  fingers  in. 

If  mother's  anywhere  about 

We  stand  against  the  door  and  shout 

Until  she  comes  and  helps  us  out. 

Her  fingers  look  so  long  and  white, 
Her  rings  are  very  sparkly  bright, 
She  almost  always  gets  it  right. 


[30] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


VISITORS 

When  I  was  very  ill  in  bed 

The  fairies  came  to  visit  me; 
They  danced  and  played  around  my  head, 

Tho'  other  people  couldn't  see. 

Across  the  end  a  railing  goes 

With  bars  and  balls  and  twisted  rings, 
And  there  they  jiggled  on  their  toes 

And  did  the  wonderfullest  things. 

They  balanced  on  the  golden  balls, 

They  jumped  about  from  bar  to  bar, 

And  then  they  fluttered  to  the  walls 
Where  coloured  birds  and  flowers  are. 

I  watched  them  darting  in  and  out, 
I  watched  them  gaily  climb  and  cling, 

While  all  the  flowers  moved  about 
And  aU  the  birds  began  to  sing. 

[31] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

VISITORS  [Continued] 

And  when  it  was  no  longer  light 

I  felt  them  up  my  pillows  creep, 
And  there  they  sat  and  sang  all  night — 

I  heard  them  singing  in  my  sleep. 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNE^TS 


WISHES 

I  WISH  I  liked  rice  pudding, 
I  wish  I  were  a  twin, 
I  wish  some  day  a  real  live  fairy 
Would  just  come  walking  in. 

I  wish  when  I'm  at  table 
My  feet  would  touch  the  floor, 
I  wish  our  pipes  would  burst  next  winter. 
Just  like  they  did  next  door. 

I  wish  that  I  could  whistle 
Real  proper  grown-up  tunes, 
I  wish  they'd  let  me  sweep  the  chimneys 
On  rainy  afternoons. 

I've  got  such  heaps  of  wishes, 
I've  only  said  a  few; 
I  wish  that  I  could  wake  some  morning 
And  find  they'd  all  come  true ! 

[33] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  BALLOON  MAN 

He  always  comes  on  market  days, 

And  holds  balloons — a  lovely  bunch — » 

And  in  the  market  square  he  stays, 
And  never  seems  to  think  of  lunch. 

They're  red  and  purple,  blue  and  green. 

And  when  it  is  a  sunny  day 
Tho'  carts  and  people  get  between 

You  see  them  shining  far  away. 

And  some  are  big  and  some  are  small, 
All  tied  together  with  a  string, 

And  if  there  is  a  wind  at  aU 

They  tug  and  tug  like  anything. 

Some  day  perhaps  hell  let  them  go 
And  we  shall  see  them  sailing  high, 

And  stand  and  watch  them  from  below-— 
They  would  look  pretty  in  the  sky ! 

[34] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


I  DON'T  LIKE  BEETLES 

I  don't  like  beetles,  tho'  I'm  sure  they're  very  good, 
I  don't  like  porridge,  tho'  my  Nanna  says  I  should ; 
I  don't  like  the  cistern  in  the  attic  where  I  play, 
And  the  funny  noise  the  bath  makes  when  the  water 
runs  away. 

I  don't  like  the  feeling  when  my  gloves  are  made  of 

silk. 
And  that  dreadful  slimy  skinny  stuff  on  top  of  hot 

milk; 
I  don't  like  tigers,  not  even  in  a  book, 
And,  I  know  it's  very  naughty,  but  I  don't  like 

Cook! 


[35] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


VERY  LOVELY 

Wouldn't  it  be  lovely  if  the  rain  came  down 
Till  the  water  was  quite  high  over  all  the  town? 
If  the  cabs  and  buses  all  were  set  afloat, 
And  we  had  to  go  to  school  in  a  little  boat? 

Wouldn't  it  be  lovely  if  it  still  should  pour 
And  we  all  went  up  to  live  on  the  second  floor? 
If  we  saw  the  butcher  sailing  up  the  hill, 
And  we  took  the  letters  in  at  the  window  siU? 

It's  been  raining,  raining,  all  the  afternoon; 
All  these  things  might  happen  really  very  soon. 
If  we  woke  to-morrow  and  found  they  had  begun. 
Wouldn't  it  be  glorious?  Wouldn't  it  be  fun? 


[36] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


SU^IMER  MORNING 

The  air  around  was  trembling-bright 
And  full  of  dancing  specks  of  light, 
Wliile  butterflies  were  dancing  too 
Between  the  shining  green  and  blue. 
I  might  not  watch,  I  might  not  stay, 
I  ran  along  the  meadow  way. 


The  straggling  brambles  caught  my  feet, 
The  clover  field  was,  oh !  so  sweet ; 
I  heard  a  singing  in  the  sky, 
And  busy  things  went  buzzing  by; 
And  how  it  came  I  cannot  teU, 
But  all  the  hedges  sang  as  well. 


Along  the  clover-field  I  ran 
To  where  the  little  wood  began, 


[37] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

SUMMER  MORNING   [Continued] 
And  there  I  understood  at  last 
Why  I  had  come  so  far,  so  fast — 
On  every  leaf  of  every  tree 
A  fairy  sat  and  smiled  at  me! 


[38] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


FAIRY  SONG 

Dance,  little  friend,  little  friend  breeze, 
Low  among  the  hedgerows,  high  among  the  trees; 
Fairy  partners  wait  for  you,  oh,  do  not  miss  your 
chance. 

Dance,  little  friend,  dance! 

Sing,  little  friend,  little  friend  stream, 

Softly  through  the  mossy  nooks  where  fairies  lie 

and  dream ; 
Sweetly  by  the  rushes  where  fairies  sway  and  swing, 
Sing,  little  friend,  sing! 

Shine,  little  friend,  little  friend  moon, 

The  fairies   will  have  gathered  in  the  forest  very 

soon; 
Send   your  gleaming   silver   darts   where   thick   the 
branches   twine. 

Shine,  little  friend,  shine! 

[39] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


INVITATION 

If  you  will  come  and  stay  with  us 

You  shall  not  want  for  ease; 
We'll   swing  you  on   a   cobweb 

Between  the  forest  trees. 
And  twenty  little  singing  birds 

Upon  a  flowering  thorn 
Shall  hush  you  every  evening 

And  wake  you  every  mom. 

If  you  will  come  and  stay  with  us 

You  need  not  miss  your  school, 
A  learned  toad  shall  teach  you, 

High-perched  upon  liis  stool. 
And  he  will  tell  you  many  things 

That  none  but  fairies  know — 
The  way  the  wind  goes  wandering, 

And  how  the  daisies  grow. 
[40] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

INVITATION   [Continued] 

If  you  will  come  and  stay  with  us 

You  shall  not  lack,  my  dear, 
The  finest  fairy  raiment, 

The  best  of  fairy  cheer. 
We'll  send  a  milUon  glow-worms  out. 

And  slender  chains  of  light 
Shall  make  a  shining  pathway — 

Then  why  not  come  to-night? 


[41] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIjMNEYS 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

You   know   the   smoke   from   chimneys — 

It  often  isn't  smoke, 
It's  nothing  but  the  fairies 

Having  such  a  joke. 
Round  they  fly  and  round  about, 

Higher  still  and  higher — 
"Dearie  me,"  the  people  say, 

"A  chimney  on  fire!" 

You  know  the  noise  the  wind  makes 

At  night-time  now  and  then — 
It's  just  those  naughty  fairies 

At  their  tricks  again — 
Sitting  in  the  chimney 

Round  and  round  in  rows, 
Singing  all  together 

And  warming  up  their  toes. 

[42] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


WHITE  MAGIC 

Blind  folk  see  the  fairies, 

Oh,  better  far  than  we. 
Who  miss  the  shining  of  their  wings 
Because   our   ejes   are   filled   with   things 

We  do  not  wish  to  see. 
They  need  not  seek  enchantment 

From  solemn,  printed  books. 
For  all  about  them  as  they  go 
The  fairies  flutter  to  and  fro 

With  smiling,  friendly  looks. 


Deaf  folk  hear  the  fairies 

However  soft  their  song; 
^Tis  we  who  lose  the  honey  sound 
Amid  the  clamour  aU  around 

That  beats  the  whole  day  long. 

[43] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

WHITE   MAGIC    [Continued] 
But  they  with  gentle  faces 

Sit  quietly  apart; 
What  room  have  they  for  sorrowing 
While  fairy  minstrels  sit  and  sing 

Close  to  their  listening  heart? 


[44] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THERE  USED  TO  BE- 


There  used  to  be  fairies  in  Germany — 

I  know,  for  I've  seen  them  there 
In  a  great  cool  wood  where  the  tall  trees  stood 

With  their  heads  high  up  in  the  air; 
They  scrambled  about  in  the  forest 

And  nobody  seemed  to  mind; 
They  were  dear  little  things  (tho'  they  didn't  have 
wings) 

And  they  smiled  and  their  eyes  were  kind. 

What,  and  oh  what  were  they  doing 

To  let  things  like  this? 
How  could  it  be?  And  didn't  they  see 

That  folk  were  going  amiss? 
Were  they  too  busy  playing, 

Or  can  they  perhaps  have  slept, 
That  never  they  heard  an  ominous  word 

That  stealthily  crept  and  crept? 

[45] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

THERE  USED  TO  BE [Continued] 

There  used  to  be  fairies  in  Germany — 

The  children  will  look  for  them  still; 
They  wiU   search   all   about  till   the   sunlight   slips 
out 

And  the  trees  stand  frowning  and  chill. 
"The  flowers,"  they  will  say,  "have  all  vanished, 

And  where  can  the  fairies  be  fled 
That   played   in   the   fern?" — The   flowers   wiU   re- 
turn. 

But  I  fear  that  the  fairies  are  dead. 


[46] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


IF 

If  I  were  a  bird  with  a  dear  little  nest 

I  should  always  be  going  for  flights, 
I'd  fly  to  the  North  and  the  South  and  the  West 

And  see  all  the  wonderful  sights. 
I'd  perch  on  the  point  of  the  very  tall  spires, 

Ajid  race  with  the  insects  and  bees, 
And  there  would  be  parties  on  telegraph  wires. 

And  school  at  the  top  of  the  trees. 

If  I  were  a  fairy  and  lived  in  a  flower, 

What  fun,  oh,  what  fun  it  would  be! 
I'm  certain  I  never  should  sleep  for  an  hour. 

And  I'd  always  have  honey  for  tea; 
And  never  a  stocking  or  shoe  would  I  wear. 

Nor  ever  a  hat  on  my  head. 
And  no  one  would  tell  me  to  tidy  my  hair, 

And  no  one  would  send  me  to  bed. 

[47] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

IF  [Continued^ 

If  I  were  a  duchess  in  satin  and  pearls, 

I'd  curtsey  like  this  and  like  this; 
I'd  graciously  smile  at  the  lords  and  the  earls, 

And  give  them  my  fingers  to  kiss. 
And  mother  should  dress  all  in  silver  and  pink, 

And  daddy  in  silver  and  green, 
And  off  we  should  go  in  a  coach,  only  think, 

To  live  with  the  King  and  the  Queen! 


[48] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  FAHIIES  HAVE  NEVER  A  PENNY  TO 
SPEND 

The  fairies  have  never  a  penny  to  spend, 

They  haven't  a  thing  put  by, 
But  theirs  is  the  dower  of  bird  and  of  flower 

And  theirs  are  the  earth  and  the  sky. 
And  though  you  should  live  in  a  palace  of  gold 

Or  sleep  in  a  dried-up  ditch. 
You  could  never  be  poor  as  the  fairies  are, 
And  never  as  rich. 

Since  ever  and  ever  the  world  began 

They  have  danced  like  a  ribbon  of  flame, 

They  have  sung  their  song  through  the  centuries 
long 
And  3^et  it  is  never  the  same. 

And  though  you  be  foolish  or  though  you  be  wise, 
With  hair  of  silver  or  gold, 

You  could  never  be  young  as  the  fairies  are, 

And  never  as  old. 

[49] 


BIRD    LORE 


BIRD  LORE 


PEACOCKS 

Peacocks  sweep  the  fairies'  rooms; 

They  use  their  folded  tails  for  brooms; 

But  fairy  dust  is  brighter  far 

Than  any  mortal  colours  are; 

And  all  about  their  tails  it  clings 

In  strange  designs  of  rounds  and  rings; 

And  that  is  why  they  strut  about 

And   proudly  spread  their   feathers   out. 


[53] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  CUCKOO 

The  cuckoo  is  a  tell-tale, 

A  mis  chief -making  bird; 
He  flies  to  East,  he  flies  to  West 
And  whispers  into  every  nest 

The  wicked  things  he's  heard; 
He  loves  to  spread  his  naughty  lies. 
He  laughs  about  it  as  he  flies ; 
*'Cuckoo,"  he  cries,  "cuckoo,  cuckoo, 

It*s  true,  it's  true." 

And  when  the  fairies  catch  him 

His  busy  wings  they  dock. 
They  shut  him  up  for  evermore 
(He  may  not  go  beyond  the  door) 

Inside  a  wooden   clock; 
Inside  a  wooden  clock  he  cowers 
And  has  to  tell  the  proper  hours — ■ 
"Cuckoo,"  he  cries,  "cuckoo,  cuckoo. 
It's  true,  it's  true." 
[54] 


BIRD  LORE 


THE  HOOKS 

High  in  the  elm-trees  sit  the  rooks. 
Or  flit  about  with  busy  looks 

And  solemn,  ceaseless  caws. 
Small  wonder  they  are   so  intent, 
They  are  the  fairies'  Parliament — 

They  make  the  fairy  laws. 

They  never  seem  to  stop  all  day. 
And  you  can  hear  from  far  away 

Their  busy  chatter-chat. 
They  work  so  very  hard  indeed 
You'd  wonder   that   the   fairies   need 

So  many  laws  as  that. 


[55] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  ROBIN 

The  robin  is  the  fairies'  page; 

They  keep  him  neatly  dressed 
For  country  service  or  for  town 
in  dapper  livery  of  brown 

And  little  scarlet  vest. 


On  busy  errands  all  day  long 

He  hurries  to  and  fro 
With  watchful   eyps   and  nimble  wings- 
There  are  not  very  many  things. 

The  robin  doesn't  know. 

And  he  can  tell  you,  if  he  will, 

The  latest  fairy  news : 
The  quaint  adventures  of  the  King, 
And  whom  the  Queen  is  visiting, 

And  where  she  gets  her  shoes. 
[56] 


BIRD  LORE 

THE  ROBIN   [Continued] 

And  lately,  when  the  fairy  Court 

Invited  me  to  tea, 
He  stood  behind  the  Royal  Chair; 
And  here,  I  solemnly  declare, 
When  he  discovered  I  was  there, 

That  robin  winked  at  mco 


[57] 


PAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 


THE  COCK 

The  kindly  cock  is  the  fairies'  friend, 

He  warns  them  when  their  revels  must  end; 

He  never  forgets  to  give  the  word, 

For  the  cock  is  a  thoroughly  punctual  bird. 

And  since  he  grieves  that  he  never  can  fiy, 
Like  all  the  other  birds,  up  in  the  sky, 
The  fairies  put  him  now  and  again 
High  on  a  church  for  a  weather-vane. 

Little  for  sun  or  for  rain  he  cares ; 

He  turns  about  with  the  proudest  airs 

And  chuckles  with  joy  as  the  clouds  go  past 

To  think  he  is  up  in  the  sky  at  last. 


[58] 


BIRD  LORE 


THE  GROUSE 

The  grouse  that  lives  on  the  moorland  wide 

Is  filled  with  a  most  ridiculous  pride ; 

He  thinks  that  it  all  belongs  to  him 

And  every  one  else  must  obey  his  whim. 

When  the  queer  wee  folk  who  live  on  the  moors 

Come  joyfully  leaping  out  of  their  doors 

To  frisk  about  on  the  warm  sweet  heather 

Laughing  and  chattering  all  together, 

He  looks  askance  at  their  rollicking  play 

And  calls  to  them  in  the  angriest  way : 

''You're  a  feather-brained,  foolish,  frivolous  pack, 

Go  back,  you  rascally  imps,  go  back!" 

But  little  enough  they  heed  his  shout ; 
Over  the  rocks  they  tumble  about; 
They  chase  each  other  over  the  ling; 
They  kick  their  heels  in  the  heather  and  sing; 

[59] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

THE  GROUSE  [Continued] 
**Oho,  Mr.  Grouse,  you'd  best  beware 
Or  some  fine  day,  if  you  don't  take  care, 
The  witch  who  lives  in  the  big  brown  bog 
With  a  wise  old  weasel,  a  rat  and  a  frog, 
WiU  come  a-capering  over  the  fell 
And  put  you  under  a  horrible  speU; 
Your  feathers  will  moult  and  your  voice  wiU  crack- 
Go  back,  you  silly  old  bird,  go  back !" 


[60] 


BIRD  LORE 


THE  SKYLARK 

Op  all  the  birds  the  fairies  love  the  skylark  much 

the  best; 
They  come  with  little  fairy  gifts  to  seek  his  hidden 

nest ; 
They  praise  his   tiny  slender  feet   and  silken   suit 

of  brown, 
And    with    their    gentle    hands    they    smooth    his 

feathers  softly  down. 

They  cluster  round  with  glowing  cheeks  and  bright 

expectant  eyes, 
Waiting  the  moment  that  shall  bring  the  freedom 

of  the  skies ; 
Waiting  the  double-sweet  delight  that  only  he  can 

give, 
(Oh,  kings  might  surely  spurn  their  crowns  to  live 

as  fairies  live). 

[61] 


FAIRIES  AND  CHIMNEYS 

THE  SKYLARK  [Continued'] 

To  ride  upon  a  skylark's  back  between  his  happy 

wings, 
To  float  upon  the  edge  of  heaven  and  listen  while 

he  sings — 
The  dreams  of  mortals  scarce  can  touch  so  perfected 

a  bliss, 
And  even  fairies  cannot  know  a  greater  joy  than 
this. 


[62] 


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